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Shanghai Rules - How to Play

Shanghai is a scoring game where each round has its own number.

How to play

  1. Take turns throwing 3 darts.
  2. Play one round per number, starting at 1. A short game runs from 1 to 7, and a full game from 1 to 20.
  3. Only hits on the round’s number score. Everything else scores 0.

Scoring

Doubles and triples multiply the number by 2 and 3.

SegmentPointsExample in round 4
SingleThe number = 4 points
Double2 × the number = 8 points
Triple3 × the number = 12 points
Any other number0 points = 0 points

The most you can score in a round is 3 triples, 9 times the number. That is 36 in round 4.

How to win

The highest total after the last round wins, unless someone hits a Shanghai first.

A Shanghai is a single, a double, and a triple of the round’s number in one turn, in any order. It wins the leg on the spot, whatever the scores. In round 7, for example, , , and is a Shanghai.

If totals are level after the last round, agree on a tiebreak before you start, such as another round.

Custom rule options

There are many ways to play Shanghai. If you use DartsOn, you can play with the following options:

SettingChoicesApp Default (Standard)
Variant
  • Short: targets 1 to 7
  • Full: targets 1 to 20
Full
  • 1, 3, 5
  • 3, 5, 7

Custom counts from 1 to 99.

 3
  • 1, 3, 5
  • 3, 5, 7

Custom counts from 1 to 99.

 1

Each target gets 1 round. A Shanghai wins the leg immediately in either variant. If the top totals are level after the last round, DartsOn records the leg as a draw and nobody wins it.

Stats tracked in DartsOn

At the end of each leg, DartsOn shows these stats for each player:

Stat What it shows
Total Score Points scored on each round's number.
Darts Darts thrown in the leg.
Rounds Rounds played.
Shanghais Turns with a single, double, and triple of the round's number.
Hit Rate Rounds with at least one hit, as a share of rounds played.
Best Round Your highest-scoring round.
Heat map Where each player's darts landed. Tap it for a full-screen view of every landing.

Shown when darts are scored with the camera.

In a game of several legs, the end-of-game summary adds up every leg and shows how many legs each player won.

Shanghai FAQ

What is a Shanghai in darts?

A single, a double, and a triple of the same number in one turn, in any order. In the game of Shanghai, hitting one on the current target wins the leg on the spot. Otherwise, the highest total after the last round wins.

How many rounds are in Shanghai?

The short game has 7 rounds, for the numbers 1 to 7. The full game runs from 1 to 20. Each number gets one round of 3 darts.

Do darts on other numbers score in Shanghai?

No. Only the number for the current round scores, so a triple 20 in round 1 is worth nothing.

Is a Shanghai the same as a Shanghai finish?

They use the same pattern. A Shanghai finish is a 120 checkout in 501 or 301: single 20, triple 20, double 20. It wins a leg because it reaches exactly zero, not because of the Shanghai rule.

Does a Shanghai have to be on the same number in one turn?

Yes. The instant win needs a single, double, and triple of the current round's number with your 3 darts, in any order. A single 1, double 2, and triple 3 is not a Shanghai under this rule. Some electronic boards use different games with the same name, so check their instructions.

Why play Shanghai with DartsOn?

DartsOn shows the target, adds up each player's score, and spots a Shanghai the moment it lands. Play the short or full game against friends or bots, or with camera auto-scoring.

Challenge your friends to Shanghai

Set up Shanghai in DartsOn for a game one turn can decide. Follow each round's target and keep an eye on the scores while you chase that winning single, double, and triple.

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